System for interaction of navigation and connectivity programs and personal information management applications

ABSTRACT

A system and method for providing fluent interaction between connectivity applications, personal information management applications and navigation applications. The present invention enables a user to launch navigation application directly from a “Contacts” application. This invention also enables the same result to be achieved in reverse, enabling direct access from a navigation application to contact information, eliminating the need for the user to manually access and enter information.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of location-basedservices. More particularly, the present invention relates to theinteraction of location based services and personal informationmanagement applications.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Location-based services and location-aware applications are becomingincreasingly popular in the area of mobile devices such as cellulartelephones. In particular, global systems for mobile communication andcode division multiple access (CDMA) have become more accessible andpopular with the general public in recent years. Currently, it ispossible to use Bluetooth global positioning systems (GPS) with severalcellular telephones, and a number of third party application developersare also currently developing applications in this area.

In addition to the above, a number of applications are available foraiding users in navigation and route planning. These applications usedevices containing global positioning systems to define the exactlocation of a mobile device. Although these systems can be quite useful,the usage of location information needs to be easy and convenient forthe user in order for the average consumer to become comfortable takingfull advantage of the technology. For example, when a user opens contactinformation for a person or a location, there needs to be a simple andstraightforward system for the user to initiate the navigation process(including the accessing of digital map content) towards the particularcontact. Currently, however, to complete the navigation process, theuser must write down or copy the location information of the contact,initiate the navigation application, and enter the address manuallybefore navigation could begin. Additionally, if the user begins with thenavigation program, the user must manually enter the desired addressbefore navigation is possible.

Furthermore, currently there is virtually no existing interactionbetween navigation applications and personal information management andconnectivity applications. As a result, a user is required to first savethe received landmark to a database, start the navigation application,and then locate the saved landmark from the database before navigationcan be initiated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the above problems by providing a systemwherein navigation applications are able to quickly and easily interactwith personal information management and connectivity applications. Thepresent invention permits a user to seamlessly move from finding acontact to entering a navigation application and vice versa without thedifficulties described above. The system and method of the presentinvention therefore eliminate the need for the user to take multiplesteps to initiate the navigation process, as well as eliminating theneed to manually save and transfer contact information to a navigationprogram. These benefits greatly reduce the complexity involved in usingsuch programs, providing improved access to such programs by a widevariety of end users. According to the principles of the presentinvention, a system and method is introduced for enabling the fluentinteraction between connectivity and personal information managementapplications and navigation applications (including map contentprograms). The user of an electronic device is capable of launching anavigation application straight from a personal information managementprogram. In other words, the user can start to navigate towards acurrently highlighted contact. This principle also works in reverse, sothat there is an access mechanism from the navigation application tocontact information, so that the user does not have to manually enter anaddress before navigation is possible. Instead, the user can launch thepersonal information management program search the correct contact fromthere. Additionally, when a user receives location information (e.g.landmarks) from different sources, the user can quickly and easily startnavigation straight from an inbox where received messages are stored.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention,together with the organization and manner of operation thereof, willbecome apparent from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements havelike numerals throughout the several drawings described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a representation of a mobile electronic device incorporatingthe features and principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a representation of the steps involved in implementing a firstembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a representation of the steps involved in implementing asecond embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a representation of the steps involved in providing a userwith “on the fly” information concerning location information thatreaches the device during travel; and

FIG. 5 is a representation of the steps involved in a mobile deviceobtaining landmark information and using the landmark information fornavigation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention comprises a system and method for automaticallyassociating navigation, personal information management, andconnectivity applications to provide a simple method for initiatingnavigation functions in an electronic device. FIG. 1 discloses a genericelectronic device at 100. The electronic device 100 can take a varietyof forms, including, but not limited to, a portable telephone, apersonal digital assistant, a small personal computer, or otherproducts. The electronic device includes a processor 120 for processinginformation, as well as a memory unit 130 for storing the programsnecessary for implementing the present invention. The processor 120 andthe memory unit 130 are either directly or indirectly operativelyconnected to each other so that the processor 120 can process theprograms stored in the memory unit 130. The electronic device 100 alsoincludes a display 180, which can be used to exhibit graphics,alphanumeric characters, as well as computer icons 185 and/or optionswithin drop-down menus 190 as is discussed hereinafter.

The memory unit 130 includes a connectivity program 140, a personalinformation management program 150 and a navigation program 160, all ofwhich are operatively connected to each other to permit the interactionof the various programs. The connectivity program 140 permits theelectronic device 100 to receive information from a remote location 110through the use of a data communication link 170. The navigation program160 is used to aid the user in tracking and directing the user to theremote location 110 once the remote location 110 has been identified.The personal information management program 150 can take a variety offorms. For example, the personal information management program 150 caninclude a system for managing a person's personal contacts, includingprotocols for a contact's electronic devices. The personal informationmanagement program 150 can also include a personal messaging system,such as an electronic mail system. All of the programming necessary toimplement the present invention can be stored as computer program codewithin the memory unit 130.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the navigation process isinitiated as follows. As shown in FIG. 2, the process begins at step 200when the user opens a personal information management program 150, suchas “Contacts” application. Alternatively, contact information could bestored inside a messaging system, such as an electronic mail system. Atstep 210, the user selects the desired contact, with locationinformation included therein. At step 220, the user selects a “startnavigation” option. This option can be implemented in a wide variety ofmanners, including, but not limited to, having an icon 185 on thedisplay inside the personal information management program 150,including an option in a drop-down menu 190, or other systems. At step230, the navigation program 160 is automatically opened by the deviceand, at step 240, the navigation process for directing the user to theselected location is opened and initiated. In this situation, thenavigation program 160 is started straight from the contact informationinside the personal information management program 150, requiringvirtually no effort from the user.

A second embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 3. At step 300,the user opens the navigation program 160. At step 310, the user selectsan option for the destination to be selected from the personalinformation management program 150. This option can also be implementedvia an icon 185 on the display 180, through a drop-down menu, or othermechanisms known to those in the art. At step 320, the personalinformation management program 150 automatically opens. At step 330, theuser selects the appropriate contact, with location information locatedtherein. At step 340, the navigation program 160 retrieves the locationinformation and the navigation process is initiated.

The present invention also permits the substantially simultaneousinteraction between the navigation program 160 and the personalinformation management program 150 while in transit. This system isdepicted in FIG. 4. At step 400 in FIG. 4, the process begins with theuser continuously using the navigation program 160 for streetnavigation, for example navigating streets in the center of a largecity. At step 410, the user comes into the range of defined locationinformation (within 500 meters of the landmark, for example) and obtainsan indication relating to that location, which is further attached tocontact information stored in the personal information managementprogram 150 of the user mobile device. At step 420, the indicationcontains the portion of the information stored to Contacts, and theprecise location information is highlighted on the map of navigationprogram 160. At step 430, the user is able to visit the location, whichmay have particular meaning for the user since it was already saved tothe contacts of his or her mobile device.

Furthermore, the present application allows a user to receive locationinformation and immediately use it for navigation purposes. This processis depicted in FIG. 5. At step 500 of FIG. 5, the user's mobile devicereceives location (or landmark) information through the datacommunication link 170 over one of a wide variety of systems, including,but not limited to, Bluetooth, a multimedia messaging service, aninfrared data association, or a hypertext transfer protocol, using theconnectivity program 140. At step 510, the user observes that thelandmark information has been received. At step 520, the user selects a“start navigation” option, which can be in the form of an icon 185, anoption in a drop-down menu 190, or another form. At step 530, thenavigation program 160 automatically opens, and navigation towards thelocation of the landmark is begun.

Implementation of the present invention results in a number of distinctadvantages over conventional systems having completely independentnavigation and personal information management programs 150. The presentinvention makes it is easier for a user of a mobile device to uselocation information for navigation. When location information isattached to existing applications, it is easier for manufacturers tointroduce the new technology on a wide scale without requiringsubstantial learning by the end users.

While preferred embodiments have been shown and described herein, itshould be understood that changes and modifications can be made to theinvention without departing from the invention in its broader aspects.For example, but without limitation, contact information could beobtained from a wide variety of personal information management programs150, including, but not limited to, messaging systems, address books,and other applications. Additionally many of the steps described abovecould be combined and/or modified in various embodiments of theinvention. Various features of the invention are defined in thefollowing Claims.

1. An electronic device, comprising: a processor; and a memory unitoperatively connected to the processor and including: a navigationprogram for directing a user of the device to a remote location, apersonal information management program, and an input associationmechanism operatively connected to the navigation program and thepersonal information management program, wherein actuation of the inputassociation mechanism automatically associates the personal informationmanagement program with the navigation program.
 2. The device of claim1, wherein the input mechanism is built into the navigation program. 3.The device of claim 1, wherein the input mechanism is built into thepersonal information management program.
 4. The device of claim 1,wherein the input mechanism is built into the personal informationmanagement program, and wherein actuation of the input mechanismautomatically enters the remote location into the navigation program. 5.The device of claim 1, wherein the input mechanism is built into thenavigation program, and wherein actuation of the input mechanismautomatically opens the personal information management program topermit designation of the remote location.
 6. The device of claim 1,wherein the input mechanism is accessible via a computer icon.
 7. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the input mechanism is accessible via anoption in a drop-down program menu.
 8. The device of claim 1, furthercomprising a data communication link operatively connected to theprocessor, the data communication link gathering landmark locationinformation, and wherein actuation of the input mechanism automaticallyenters the landmark location information into the navigation program. 9.The device of claim 1, wherein the remote location is automaticallyentered into the navigation program when the device enters within adesignated range of the remote location.
 10. The device of claim 1,wherein the personal information management program comprises amessaging program.
 11. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory unitfurther includes a connectivity program enabling the transmittal ofinformation to the navigation program.
 12. A method for implementing anavigation program, comprising the steps of: providing a personalinformation management program; accessing contact information for aremote location; and instructing the personal information managementsystem to transfer the contact information to the navigation program.13. The method of claim 12, wherein the personal information managementprogram comprises a messaging system.
 14. The method of claim 12,wherein the step of instructing the personal information managementsystem includes actuating a computer icon.
 15. The method of claim 12,wherein the step of instructing the personal information managementsystem includes actuating an option in a drop-down program menu.
 16. Themethod of claim 12, further comprising the step of actuating an inputmechanism operatively connected to the navigation program, and whereinthe actuation of the input mechanism directs the user to the contactinformation.
 17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the stepsof: receiving landmark information from a remote terminal through aconnectivity program; and automatically entering the landmark locationinformation into navigation program.
 18. A computer program product foruse with an electronic device, comprising: a navigation program; apersonal information management program, including informationconcerning a remote location; computer code for providing an inputmechanism operatively connected to the navigation program and thepersonal information management program; and computer code forautomatically associating the personal information management programwith the navigation program upon actuation of the input mechanism. 19.The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the input mechanism isaccessible via a computer icon.
 20. The computer program product ofclaim 18, wherein the input mechanism is accessible via an option in adrop-down program menu.
 21. The computer program product of claim 18,wherein the input mechanism is built into the personal informationmanagement program, and wherein actuation of the input mechanismautomatically enters the remote location into the navigation program.22. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the inputmechanism is built into the navigation program, and wherein actuation ofthe input mechanism automatically opens the personal informationmanagement program to permit designation of the remote location.
 23. Thecomputer program product of claim 17, further comprising computer codefor automatically entering information concerning a landmark into thenavigation program when the device enters within a designated range ofthe landmark.
 24. The computer program product of claim 17, furthercomprising a connectivity program for transmitting information from theremote location to the navigation program.
 25. A module for use with anelectronic device, comprising: a memory unit for storing information andincluding: a connectivity program for transmitting information from aremote location; a navigation program for directing a user of the deviceto the remote location; a personal information management program; andan input association mechanism operatively connected to the navigationprogram and the personal information management program, whereinactuation of the input association mechanism automatically associatesthe personal information management program with the navigation program.26. The module of claim 25, wherein the remote location is automaticallyentered into the navigation program when the device enters within adesignated range of the remote location.
 27. The module of claim 25,wherein the personal information management program comprises amessaging program.
 28. The module of claim 25, wherein the inputmechanism is built into the navigation program, and wherein actuation ofthe input mechanism automatically opens the personal informationmanagement program to permit designation of the remote location.
 29. Themodule of claim 25, wherein the input mechanism is built into thenavigation program.
 30. The module of claim 25, wherein the inputmechanism is built into the personal information management program. 31.The module of claim 25, wherein the connectivity program transmitslandmark location information, and wherein actuation of the inputmechanism automatically enters the landmark location information intothe navigation program.